Defeat for True Story leaves Ballydoyle's Australia unchallenged in the
betting for Epsom Classic

Australia shortened to 8-11 favourite for the Investec Derby as Godolphin’s True Story, his chief rival in the ante-post market, finished a disappointing third in Thursday's Betfred Dante Stakes at York.

The Ballydoyle colt is now likely to go to Epsom with a level of expectation to rival that which surrounded Camelot two years ago.

Victory went to The Grey Gatsby, the most exposed of the six runners and considered suspect at the Derby distance of a mile and a half.

The Kevin Ryan-trained colt is to be aimed at the two-furlong shorter Prix du Jockey-Club at Chantilly on June 1.

True Story, the seven-length winner of the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket last month, was seen as the one colt on the horizon with the potential to challenge Australia, the 2,000 Guineas third, at the head of the Derby betting.

In a strongly-run race, he had his chance but could not overhaul the winner, who had threequarters of a length to spare on the line.

The Grey Gatsby, who finished six places behind Australia in the 2,000 Guineas, took an erratic course in the final furlong, veering sharply right in front of True Story, proving a distraction to those behind and inconveniencing the Godolphin runner without actually costing him his chance.

Ryan Moore, his jockey, received a two-day ban for the incident.

Kieren Fallon, True Story’s rider, blamed the going for the defeat.

“He is a top-of-the-ground horse,” Fallon said. “It was only a trial. The ground is very important for him. We had to run somewhere.

"It was not ideal that one horse [Odeon] went off in front, with the chance that he would stay on.”

Despite the litany of excuses, True Story failed to run up to the promise of his two previous outings when it was crucial that he did so.

Saeed bin Suroor, his trainer, confirmed that Godolphin would press ahead with plans to run the colt in the Derby, but Corals eased him to 16-1 (from 5-1), with most other firms offering odds between 14-1 and 16-1. He had been as short as 5-1 for Epsom only 24 hours earlier.

The one positive pointer from the Dante was that runner-up Arod, a son of Teofilo, will go to Epsom, and provided that he gets his ground, he should hold a decent each-way chance. He is a top-priced 20-1.

Trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam, who won the Derby with Dr Devious and Authorized, said Arod was improving rapidly and still had time to measure up.

“Jamie Spencer got too far back, but we wanted Arod to relax,” he said. “When he won at Windsor, it was not him as he is at home.

"He was too fresh and too unfit. We had the option of Newmarket on Saturday, but this is the best Derby trial there is.”

Asked whether he still had time to get Arod to post at Epsom, the trainer was adamant:

“He’ll get there. He is different to Dr Devious, who won a Dewhurst, and also Authorized, who won a Racing Post Trophy. This was only his third start.”